Getting the right travel insurance after a stroke
When you or a loved one have had a stroke, you can still have an enjoyable holiday when you have the right travel insurance.
With us, you can tailor a policy to cover you properly.
Wherever you’re off to, you can go with the reassurance that you’re covered by the UK’s Most Trusted Travel Insurance Provider*.
You can get your tailored quote for travel insurance after a stroke online here, or talk to us now on 0800 033 4902.
Why do I need travel insurance after a stroke?
Having travel insurance is really important after you’ve had a stroke. It helps to give you protection while you’re on holiday in case the worst happens.
As well as covering you for holiday essentials, such as delayed flights and lost baggage, having a good policy means that you’ll be covered for medical emergencies.
Medical bills in many countries can be very heavy, and that just adds heartache to any health worries.
Not all insurers will cover for pre-existing medical conditions – including having had a stroke. But we believe that insurance is worth doing right. To us, that means helping you to get the right level of cover by considering all medical conditions.
Buying your travel insurance with us is straightforward – you can have a quote in minutes.
To help us provide your cover, your GP must say it’s okay for you to travel, and you will need to complete a medical screening. You can do it online, or over the phone with the help of one of our friendly team.
What is the medical screening?
We’ll simply ask you some questions about your stroke and any other medical conditions you have. We do need you to give full and accurate answers, so that you’re properly covered.
If a medical condition you have is left off your policy, it would mean you are not covered in the event of a claim. So you might want to have details of any medical conditions on hand during the screening process.
Don’t worry – it doesn’t take long.
What sort of questions will I be asked?
Questions we’ll ask you may include:
• How many strokes have you had in total?
• How long ago was your last stroke?
• Are you awaiting surgery for this condition and/or for any scans to be performed?
• Have you had any transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs), also known as mini-strokes, since your last stroke?
• Do you have an irregular heartbeat/arrhythmia or atrial fibrillation?
• Are you on medication to thin the blood excluding aspirin?
You can get a quote online now, or you can call us 0800 033 4902.
My doctor advised me not to travel at the moment as I recently had a stroke, will you still cover me?
One of the most important things for us, is to make sure you’re safe and fit to travel.
If your doctor has said that it’s unsafe for you to travel, then we wouldn’t be able to cover you. At least not yet.
Once your doctor gives you the all clear on your planned holiday dates, then you can buy a travel insurance policy.
Should I take a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)?
It’s a condition of our insurance that you take an EHIC if it’s relevant to your travels. But it’s not a substitute for proper travel insurance.
An EHIC does not cover you for costs not directly related to medical treatment. That means the cost of flying you back home, for instance, is not covered. It also won’t help if you have to cancel or break off your holiday.
An EHIC entitles you to subsidised or free healthcare in most European countries when using their state healthcare provider (like our NHS). This covers all EEA countries (please note, though: even within the EEA, a few places such Jersey and Monaco, don’t accept an EHIC.
If you do use your EHIC and you’ve still had to pay a subsidised fee for healthcare, we’ll remove the excess fee for medical emergency claims.
Types of travel insurance policies you can choose from
We offer two types of policy to suit the plans of you and your family when you are travelling after a stroke:
Single Trip Travel Insurance is just the thing if you’re taking a one-off holiday, which can last up to 3 months.
Annual Travel Insurance may be a better bet if you’re looking to take regular short holidays throughout the year.
So whatever medical conditions you have, and wherever your travels are taking you, your policy can be tailored to fit you like a glove.
What if you’re taking a longer trip?
If the two policies above aren’t enough to cover your plans, that’s not a problem. You still have the choice of a long stay policy. For under 65s, with our long stay upgrade you can travel for up to 18 months.
Here’s a comparison of our two levels of cover – available on both Single Trip and Annual Travel Insurance policies.
What does our travel insurance cover?
| Basic | Comprehensive |
|---|---|
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For a more detailed look at the level of cover we offer, take a look at our policy documents. And if you have any questions about what’s covered, please just call us on 0800 033 4902.
What happens if I have a stroke or other medical emergency while overseas?
You can upgrade with us at any time. Whether you want to upgrade from a basic to a comprehensive policy or add on any optional extras, as long as you haven’t travelled or made a claim, you can upgrade your policy.
If your medical conditions or medication has changed before you start your holiday, it’s vital that you tell us.
Otherwise you may not be properly covered if you have to claim. Please call our Customer Services team and we’ll do our best to see if we can update your level of cover where needed.
Please note: while we can increase your policy coverage, we cannot reduce coverage in return for a partial refund. So please do check that you’re happy with the level of cover when you book.
Get extra cover with your tailored policy
If you’ve bought an insurance policy with us and have declared any pre-existing medical conditions, then you’re covered for any medical emergency abroad.
But what does that actually mean?
For you, that means that we’ll be here as a helping hand when you most need us.
We’ll start by helping you to get the best possible care. You can call our medical emergency number 24 hours a day and we can help to direct you to the best place to seek help. We can even act as a translator between you and the medical team.
If you need to be transported safely via air ambulance to a better facility that can get you better quicker, then we’ll do that too.
We’ll also cover your medical expenses. In fact, if your expenses are over £350, we’ll try and settle the bill directly with the medical facility so you can concentrate on more important things.
Being covered by us also means that you’ll be covered for new flights home and accommodation should you have a stroke or other emergency while abroad.
Plus, if you need to cut your holiday short due to a stroke, we’ll meet the costs up to the value detailed in your policy.
We will also pay for your travelling companion or partner to fly home with you, as well as providing a trusted person to accompany any children home if they need it.
When can I upgrade and make changes?
You can upgrade with us at any time. Whether you want to upgrade from a basic to a comprehensive policy or add on any optional extras, as long as you haven’t travelled or made a claim, you can upgrade your policy.
If your medical conditions or medication has changed before you start your holiday, it’s vital that you tell us.
Otherwise you may not be properly covered if you have to claim. Please call our Customer Services team and we’ll do our best to see if we can update your level of cover where needed.
Please note: while we can increase your policy coverage, we cannot reduce coverage in return for a partial refund. So please do check that you’re happy with the level of cover when you book.
Get extra cover with your tailored policy
What if you’re doing something extra-special on your holiday, such as a round the world cruise? That’s easy. A Comprehensive policy lets you upgrade for extra cover on this and other activities, so everything’s ticketyboo.
Get your travel insurance quote to cover your stroke today
Talk to us today on 0800 033 4902. Or, you can get a quote online in just a few minutes below.